Belgarum’s role in life is to be a little irreverent - in fact s/he’s often not enough so - but there’s a serious point behind the headline on the lost M&S shortcut (Chronicle, September 29).

I can only think of three high street shops that have readily accessible doors on more than one side:  M&S, W H Smith, and Boots. Happily Boots still use theirs onto the Square, although it has steps there. High Street Waterstones only briefly used theirs onto St George’s Street (not accessible because it went straight onto a flight of stairs), and Superdrug have never used theirs.

When the world stopped for the pandemic, shops and the council spent a lot of money telling people which side of the road to walk on, and what distance to remain apart. But no-one, as far as I know, when essential shops could re-open, thought to work out proper one-way systems that meant you entered one door and exited another that wasn’t alongside. Germany in particular realised that fresh air and ventilation was a good idea, and eventually even the UK government did, urging people to open windows.

But M&S and Smiths, despite having one in door and one out door, closed the obvious side doors. M&S in particular made a hash of distancing and ventilation by ensuring that customers leaving the tills had (and still have) to double back alongside the queues in order to get out. Ditto for the Post Office with its pinch point entrance, although not for the rest of Smiths.

I’ve already taken up the offer of my 4th Covid shot, suggesting the government and/or the NHS is sufficiently concerned about the coming winter and a mutating virus to spend a great deal more time and money into protecting the public.

Shops that have through routes, for ventilation and for customers, should simply be obliged to use them.  If, as Belgarum says, the doors are closed for security reasons, perhaps they could stretch to some more members of staff.  After all, the last M&S chairman left with a goodbye present of £2.6m.

Judith Martin

Romsey Road

Winchester

 

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